The former CEO of The Longaberger Company wanted the design of the Ohio headquarters of the basket-focused decor firm to reflect what the company stood for, quite literally!
When the late founder and CEO of the company Dave Longaberger hired NBBJ, an American architectural firm, for the design of its state headquarter, he was very particular about the design he wanted.
It is reported that during their talks, Longaberger picked up a woven basket designed by his The Longaberger Company and said:
“This is what I want. Build it.”
And the architects did exactly that!
Now that the company has moved its operations to a new factory, they have been having a pretty hard time trying to sell off the huge, picnic basket-shaped building.
The unique building is 40 miles away from Columbus and was completed in 1997. The seven-storey picnic basket-shaped structure covering 180,000-square-foot went up for sale last year. Initially, the building was offered for $7.5 million. However, not many companies were willing to relocate into a building that exudes an aura of a summer picnic!
Now, the asking price has dipped to $5 million, half the price of the office structures in the area, yet no one has made an offer. Unfortunately, the design cannot be stripped for it is narrower at the bottom than the top, just like your favourite woven picnic basket.
And this is why the CEOs of the company should not have as much sway in decisions!